GLENFWB
Contributor
Link to my dive video on YouTube: YouTube - Diving The USS Oriskany Pensacola
This is an additional dive report for the June 1, 2008 USS Oriskany dive. Wjefferis has already posted a report that covered much of the dive. This was my first dive on the Mighty O. I had made two previous attempts to make the dive, but the weather prohibited us each time from ever leaving the dock.
Sunday, June 1, 2008 was a beautiful weather day. Temperature was in the 90s and seas were forecasted to be 1-2 ft. We loaded up at the dock behind the Fish House in Pensacola. Dr. Dive has a nice boat that gets you to the Oriskany in a reasonable amount of time.
Since this was my first dive on the Oriskany, I enlisted the help of Eric Kline, Oriskany Dive master for the trip. When we arrived on site, there were fishing boats over the wreck. It was the beginning of snapper season so four boats were fishing over the wreck.
When we arrived some people on the boats began to yell, Shark, Shark! in an attempt to persuade us not to dive, and mess up their fishing. We told them we would take pictures of the sharks for them. While we were gearing up, one of the boats began to pull up some snapper. The first snapper was a nice size keeper. The others on the boat also began to pull fish up but, the next two snapper were only HEADS. There was a school of Barracuda around the boats and they began to hit each snapper as it was reeled in.
If you follow the linkfor the video, you will see the large Barracuda that greeted us as we made our way to the anchor line. DM Eric took us to the wreck and began to show us around the tower. We had a great time exploring this massive wreck. Erics experience in knowing all the best places on the wreck made for an enjoyable first dive.
Walter and Eric
After an hour surface interval, we geared up and headed back in the water for our second dive. Not only was it Walters birthday, but this was also his 100th dive! Congratulations Walter.
Eric brought us to some different parts of the tower. We also spent some time at the flags taking pictures. Eric also pointed out the numerous octopuses that were occupying holes in the ship. We got close for some pictures, but I did not want to disturb them so we moved on.
The highlight of the dive was the sea turtle that cruised over our head. He was surrounded by Amberjack and it was an awesome sight to see.
The only downside to the second dive was that I mis-read my computer and put myself in a few minutes of deco. I was diving my LP 108s, and was being very conservative with air so a few minutes of deco was not a problem in my gas plan. But, I was mad at myself for straying in to deco. Walter was diving HP 112s so he had plenty of air to hang with me during my deco obligation.
Dive #1 had a max depth of 117 feet for a 35 minute dive.
Dive #2 had a max depth of 105 feet for a 43 minute dive.
Water temperature for both dives was 70 degrees at depth.
I have to mention one other event. My fellow divers have graciously avoided the subject of .THE FIN! As you all know, there is limited space on a dive boat when everyone starts peeling their gear off. While trying to make room in the boat, I moved Walters Scuba Pro Jet Fins lets just say, that a Jet Fin sinks REAL fast. I watched in horror as his fin quickly sunk below the surface .on its way to a watery grave beside the Oriskany. I almost jumped in after it, but I had already unzipped my wet suit. And, the DM had just pulled the hook off of the line and the boat was drifting. I decided it was better to replace a fin then end the day drifting in the Gulf of Mexico.
It was a bad way to end the day, but I have his replacement fin arriving tomorrow. Thanks Walter for your patience .I gave him the gift of a new fin for his birthday!
Great day of diving, Dr. Dive is a great dive boat, and Oriskany Dive master, made the day extremely enjoyable.
This is an additional dive report for the June 1, 2008 USS Oriskany dive. Wjefferis has already posted a report that covered much of the dive. This was my first dive on the Mighty O. I had made two previous attempts to make the dive, but the weather prohibited us each time from ever leaving the dock.
Sunday, June 1, 2008 was a beautiful weather day. Temperature was in the 90s and seas were forecasted to be 1-2 ft. We loaded up at the dock behind the Fish House in Pensacola. Dr. Dive has a nice boat that gets you to the Oriskany in a reasonable amount of time.
Since this was my first dive on the Oriskany, I enlisted the help of Eric Kline, Oriskany Dive master for the trip. When we arrived on site, there were fishing boats over the wreck. It was the beginning of snapper season so four boats were fishing over the wreck.
When we arrived some people on the boats began to yell, Shark, Shark! in an attempt to persuade us not to dive, and mess up their fishing. We told them we would take pictures of the sharks for them. While we were gearing up, one of the boats began to pull up some snapper. The first snapper was a nice size keeper. The others on the boat also began to pull fish up but, the next two snapper were only HEADS. There was a school of Barracuda around the boats and they began to hit each snapper as it was reeled in.
If you follow the linkfor the video, you will see the large Barracuda that greeted us as we made our way to the anchor line. DM Eric took us to the wreck and began to show us around the tower. We had a great time exploring this massive wreck. Erics experience in knowing all the best places on the wreck made for an enjoyable first dive.
Walter and Eric
After an hour surface interval, we geared up and headed back in the water for our second dive. Not only was it Walters birthday, but this was also his 100th dive! Congratulations Walter.
Eric brought us to some different parts of the tower. We also spent some time at the flags taking pictures. Eric also pointed out the numerous octopuses that were occupying holes in the ship. We got close for some pictures, but I did not want to disturb them so we moved on.
The highlight of the dive was the sea turtle that cruised over our head. He was surrounded by Amberjack and it was an awesome sight to see.
The only downside to the second dive was that I mis-read my computer and put myself in a few minutes of deco. I was diving my LP 108s, and was being very conservative with air so a few minutes of deco was not a problem in my gas plan. But, I was mad at myself for straying in to deco. Walter was diving HP 112s so he had plenty of air to hang with me during my deco obligation.
Dive #1 had a max depth of 117 feet for a 35 minute dive.
Dive #2 had a max depth of 105 feet for a 43 minute dive.
Water temperature for both dives was 70 degrees at depth.
I have to mention one other event. My fellow divers have graciously avoided the subject of .THE FIN! As you all know, there is limited space on a dive boat when everyone starts peeling their gear off. While trying to make room in the boat, I moved Walters Scuba Pro Jet Fins lets just say, that a Jet Fin sinks REAL fast. I watched in horror as his fin quickly sunk below the surface .on its way to a watery grave beside the Oriskany. I almost jumped in after it, but I had already unzipped my wet suit. And, the DM had just pulled the hook off of the line and the boat was drifting. I decided it was better to replace a fin then end the day drifting in the Gulf of Mexico.
It was a bad way to end the day, but I have his replacement fin arriving tomorrow. Thanks Walter for your patience .I gave him the gift of a new fin for his birthday!
Great day of diving, Dr. Dive is a great dive boat, and Oriskany Dive master, made the day extremely enjoyable.
